The effects of some selected herbicides and insecticides on the physioalogical characteristics of non-target parasitic trematodes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica will be studied through series of carefully planned experimental procedures and techniques. Culture of non-infected known intermediate snail hosts will be reared and maintained under laboratory conditions. Generations of uninfected rats, mice and rabbits will also be raised and maintained in the laboratory. Life histories of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica will be duplicated under laboratory conditions. Varying concentrations (PPM) of each selected pesticide and a combination of pesticides (synergistic) will be used to assess or evaluate the effects of these varying concentrations of the pesticide or pesticides (synergistic actions) on the physiological processes to be studied. These processes will include egg production and embryonation; hatching of miracidia; polyembryony inside the snail hosts; cercarial and metacercarial activities; infectivity of miracidia and metacercariae; possible mutagenic actions of the pesticides in causing resistant strains of the worms and possible refractoriness and/or resistance in the snail intermediate hosts as well as the vertebrate mammalian hosts. Additionally, studies will be made on potential value of these pesticides as (a) anti-helminthic drug (Fasciolicides) and at the same time as (b) herbicide or insecticide. This project will help to improve the scientific expertise of the chief investigator and improve his changes to conduct mainstream productive research and train the students to become journeymen biomedical research scientists. Part 1 of 8.